I'm relatively new to non-combative racing games and I had a question.

In racing games that are just straight racing (i.e. no weapons and no power-ups), is it considered bad etiquette and/or cheating to intentionally ram into other players in an attempt to spin them out or get ahead of them? Thanks!

That reminds me when many years ago a potential date challenged me to a Daytona USA race. She was good and was slightly ahead of me at the final stretch... but since I'm an overly competitive asshole I rammed her car hard into the side of the road and won. She hasn't spoken to me since, but damn was it worth it.

Like others have said, mostly ok in games like Dirt, Blur or Burnout, not so much in Forza, F1 and GT. In my time playing racing games online, I've found that being cautious and steady is the winning strategy, because most online players are all about smash n' ram.

Example: My first race in GTA Online had about 3 other human players. I intentionally got off to a slow start, expecting the ones ahead to take each other out. And that's exactly what happened. They rammed each other into a corner, and I just sailed on by. Won the race by 5 seconds.

Just based on my experience playing racing games online, no one enjoys a player who consistently rams into others. It is for many, infuriating when this happens in the middle of the race. Typically I will ask what the rules for a specific room are online prior to a race. At times I find that you are not allowed to purposely cause a wreck to advance in the race or that contact is perfectly fine. Personally I do not care for it, a little contact is ok, but ramming takes away from driver skill needed to pass someone. No where is as rampant as in GTA V. Expect to be taken out while racing online.

I also do not understand why in games like Forza, GT, and etc. that ANY contact is frowned upon. So if I am stuck behind a few cars, and their is absolutely no way to get around them, I am supposed to just politely hang back and lose? The hell with that, if giving you a little bump gives me and advantage, and the win, I'll do it. It's a competitive game, getting the W is all that matters. If the developers didn't want bumping to be used, they would program it be ineffective and punishing to the person who does it. If they do not, that means it is an intentional part of the games design, not an exploit, and using it is just fine.

I also do not understand why in games like Forza, GT, and etc. that ANY contact is frowned upon. So if I am stuck behind a few cars, and their is absolutely no way to get around them, I am supposed to just politely hang back and lose? The hell with that, if giving you a little bump gives me and advantage, and the win, I'll do it. It's a competitive game, getting the W is all that matters. If the developers didn't want bumping to be used, they would program it be ineffective and punishing to the person who does it. If they do not, that means it is an intentional part of the games design, not an exploit, and using it is just fine.

House rules are self imposed cages for the weak.

So you're saying that ramming someone in the first corner in F1 causing their car to be destroyed, therefore making them pit is fair?

In games with less forgiving handling you are usually faster if you drive clearly. And racing games with easier controls often promote aggressive driving styles. So this question is almost obsolete.

In general I personally don't mind being rammed if it makes sense. But when I still played The Run there were quite a lot of idiots who would force you into a double suicide because they apparently grew up with NFS games being aggressive action-racers (Most Wanted and later), not realizing that this one is a more realistic title. That stuff was just annoying.